Method of dyeing fibrous materials.



W. R. SMITH.

METHOD 0F DYEING FIBROS MATERIALS. v APPLIGATION FILED JUNE as, 1909.

Patented May 7, 1912.

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WILLIAM E. SMITH, OF BUFFALO, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TG BUFFALO LEATHER GO.,0F BUFFALO, NEW YORK, A CORPORATION 0F WEST VIRGINIA.

METHOD OF'DYEING FIBROUS MATERIALS.

To all whom it may coa/cem:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM R. SMrrH, of Buffalo, in the county of Erieand State of New York, have invented certain new and usefulImprovement-s in Methods of Dyeing Fibrous Materials, of which thefollowing is a specification.

lThis invention has for its object to enable fibrous material, such ascotton, Wool, etc., the iibers of which are more or less looselyassociated, and either spun in the form of yarn or more looselyassociated as in the form of rovings or slubbings, to be quickly anduniformly dyed without liability of: snarling or entangling theindividual fibers, and in the case oi Wool fibers, without the liabilityof such relative movement of adjacent fibers as to cause a feltingaction.

4The invention consists in the improvements which I will now proceed todescribe and claim.

Ot the accompanying drawings, forming a part of thisspeciiication,-Figure 1 represents a top plan view of a suitableapparatus for use in practising my improved method. Fig. 2 represents asection on line 2-2 of Fig.' 1. Fig. 3 represents a view similar to aportion of Fig. 2, showing a different torni of container for the{ibrous material. Fig. 4 represents a perspective viewoi a suitable formof container ior use in connection with yarn in skeins.

The saine reference characters indicate the same parts in all thefigures.

In the drawingsa represents an endless tank, which is preferably ofsubstantially elliptical form, so that a body of liquid contained in thetank may be caused to circulate or flow in an endless path therein,means such as rotary paddle Wheels b being employed to impart movementto the liquid. The general construction, including the tank and thepaddle Wheels, together with means for rotating said wheels may besubstantially as shown in Letters Patent of the United States, No.Sliflfl, dated August a7, 1907.

Means are provided, as shown in the aboif'e-mentioned patent, it'orforcing air under pressure through the bottom of tlie tank, and into thecontents thereof, the means here shown comprising a rotary air pump c,and air-conducting pipes e', o communicating therewith and with airdistributing tubes o2 on tig-le bottoni of the tank, poritionsSpecification of Letters Patent.

Application filed J une 26, 1909.

Patented May 7, 1912.

Serial No. 504,425.

of said pipes c projecting horizontally across the bottom of thetank andbeing provided with narrow slots c3 constituting air outlets throughwhich thinelongated jets of air are Jforced upwardly int-o and throughthe contents of the tank.

In Figs. 2 and 3, d represents a perforated false bottom located abovethe bottom of the tank, and in close proximity thereto. e' represents ahorizontal perforated semi-partition covering the material to be dyed,said material being, for example, rovings or slubbings, skeins of yarn,etc., either loosely deposited on the false bottom (Z, or inclosed in abag or envelop of porous cloth or netting. The partition e is locatedbelow the surface ot the body of liquid contained in the tank, and maybe supported by the material to be dyed. or by cleats attached to thesides of the-tank. The partition preferably does 'not extend under thepaddle wheels, but it is supported in any suitable manner so that thedye liquor can flow freely under the partition.

The operation of the described apparatus is as followsz-The material tobe dyed is packed somewhat loosely on the false bottom d, the partitione, or suitable portions thereof, being removable to permit the insertionand removal of the material, A

,body of dye liquor is then introduced, the

liquid permeating the chamber f and rising above the partition e, sothat it is acted on by the paddle wheels b. The said paddle wheels andthe air pump being set in motion, the liquid is caused to flowhorizontally through the endless tank, and air is forced upwardlythrough the perforated bottom d, and through the material in thecompartment f, the air passing out through the pcr- Yitc-rated partitione, and rising to the surface of the body of liquid. rThe horizontalcirculation of the liquid and the passage of air vertically through it,and through the mass of material, results in a thorough circulation oit1the dye liquor through the material in the chamber f, and uniform actionot' the liquor on all parts of the material. The horizontal movementimparted to the liquor keeps all parts of the liquor in a. uniformcondition, and theV ascendin currents of air passing through thecirculating liquor prevents sedimentation, and forces the liquor intoand between the bers of the material. The perforated partition e'interposed be- I tween the free body-of liquid and the mass of materialprevents such agitation or rela* tive movement of the vthreads of thematerial as would be likely to cause the tangling of said threads.

In Fig. 3, I show as a substitute for the perforated partition eaperforated or foraminous basket k, the sides, bottom, and top Aof whichare preferably madeof woven wire, the basket having a removable cover Lwhich may be hinged or otherwise secured to the body vof thebliasket sothat it may be opened and closed. The basket lz may be of any suitableform, and the material to be dyed \is packed loosely in it inanysuitable way, the basket beingpreferably removable from the tank, andso formed that it may be inserted in the portionsof the tank intervenedbetween the paddle wheels b, b. If desired, two or more baskets may beplaced side by side-in each of the above described portions of the tank.The horizontally circulating liquid passes.through the walls of thebasket or baskets, and the material contained therein, the air at thesame time passing upwardly through the false bottom d, and through thebasketsand their contents, the action being substantially the same asthat above described in connection with the construction shown in Figs.l and 2.

While the means shown in Figs. l, 2, and 3 may be used for dyeing eitherrovings, slubbings, or yarn, I prefer to limit the use of theseappliances to untwisted or very slightly twisted fibrous material, suchas rovings or slubbings. In dyeing skeins of yarn, I prefer to incloseeach skein in a sack or envelop of open mesh fabric, the sack and theskein inclosed therein Y being placed loosely in the body of liquid inthe tank, and flotatively carried thereby, instead of'- being confinedin a fixed position.

In Fig. 4, I show a series of sacks or envelops each containing a skeinj of yarn, the envelops being connected so that they form a body ofconsiderable area adapted to fioat horizontally in the dye liquor, theyarn being loosely confined in the envelops so that. the air ascendingthrough the body of dye liquor readily enters and passes through theenvelops and their contents.

It will be seen that in each case the material to be dyed is confinedagainst relative snarling or entangling movement of its fibers by aforaniinous holder or envelop, which confines 'the material withoutpreventing free access of the liquid thereto, and that the confinedmaterial is subjected to the action of a body of dye liquor throughwhich air passes upwardly, the air passing through the foraminousenvelops or confining means and their contents, and causing a uniformaction of the dye liquor on all parts of the confined material. Theascending air cur rents also act to prevent the settling of dyeingmaterial carried by the liquor so that all parts of the liquor are 'keptin a uniform condition.

The envelops z' shown in Fig. 4.- may be made of vany suitable open meshfabric, such as that employed for fish nets of relatively small mesh.

Owing to the fact that the material is held loosely, although, with somefriction, the dye liquor can pass laterally through the material. Andthe upward movement of the air keeps the material in open condition sothat 'the laterally moving liquor can gain access to all of the fiberswith uniformity.

I claim:

1. The method of dyeing fibrous material, which consists in looselyconning it against lateral or vertical movement to prevent relativesnai-ling or entangling movement of its fibers without preventing accessof liquid thereto, immersing the confined material in a body of dyeliquor, circulating the dye liquor laterally through the material andforcing air through the confined material and the liquor which permeatesit.

2. The method of dyeing fibrous material which consists in confining thematerial in a fora'minous envelop, immersing the onvelop and itscontents in a body of dye liquor, 'circulating the dyc liquor laterallythe material and forcing air through. the said body, the envelop and itscontents.

3. The method of' dyeing fibrous material which consists in confiningthe material in a foraminous envelop, immersing the envelop and itscontents in a body of dye liquor, forcing the liquor horizontallythrough the envelop, and forcing air upwardly through the body ofliquorand the envelop.

4. The method of dyeing fibrous material which consists in looselyconfining said material against lateral movement to prevent entanglingmovement of the fibers, immersing the confined material in a body of dyeliquor separating the fibers by forcing air between Ithem and throughthe liquor which permeates them, andcausing the liquor to move laterallybetween the fibers, while the latter are held in separated condition bythe alr.

In testimony whereof l have affixed my signature, in presence of twowitnesses.

Witnesses: Q

llnwaun M. DAILY, Onno A. DANsER.

